Biology 13 | Natural History of California

Natural History of California

Biology 013- 72424

Fall 2023

Instructor: Leticia Gallardo

Email: leticia.gallardo@westvalley.edu

Office: SM 55H Phone: 408-741-2416

Office Hours: M 2:00-3:30pm (SM55H); T 1:00-2:00pm (Zoom); by appointment

Web Page: instruct.westvalley.edu/gallardo/

Course: Biol 013- Natural History of California 3 units

Class Hrs: Lecture T 2:05-4:10 pm Lab TH 2:05-5:15 pm

Prerequisites: There are no academic prerequisites for this course.

Required Textbooks:

The California Naturalist Handbook. 2013. Nevers, G, D.S. Edelman, A. Merenlender. University of California Press. Berkeley, California. ISBN: 978-0-520-27480-8
Secrets of the Oak Woodland. 2014. Marianchild, Kate. Heyday Publishing, Berkeley, California. ISBN: 978-59714-262-5

Recommended:

A Natural History of California. 2017. Schoenherr, Allan A. University of California Press. Berkeley, California. ISBN 978-0-520-06922-0

Recommended:

Binoculars & Hand lens

General Course Description

Biol 013- Natural History of California is a 2-unit lecture and 1-unit lab course accepted by both UC (area 5B) & Cal State University Systems (area B2). This course for non-majors explores the ecology of California plant and animal communities. The course includes class discussion followed by virtual field trip(s) to selected regions of California.

Student Learning Outcome: Student will be able to evaluate and hypothesize on the abiotic conditions influencing community ecology.

Course Expectations

This biology course meets for 5 hours per week, 2 hours scheduled of lecture & 3 hours scheduled of lab. In addition to the scheduled class meetings, plan on spending additional research time. To get the most out of this class you should expect to devote study time outside of class. The amount of time you spend in and outside of class will, in a large part, determine how well you do in the course. Students are expected to attend and participate in all lectures and labs. Any student absent from 3 or more class sessions (lecture or lab) may be dropped from the course by the instructor. Students are encouraged to remain active participants in class. Class involvement will not only make the course more interesting, but will also facilitate student understanding, learning and retention. All students are expected to arrive to class on time, having read the related material relevant to lecture discussions. Students will also be responsible for maintaining a field notebook and completing assigned readings.

Conduct: Disruptive conduct in lecture is unacceptable. This includes late arrivals, disruptive or disrespectful talk, ringing cell phones, pagers and ipod use. Please be sure to mute your audio during Zoom sessions unless you are actively asking a question or participating in an activity. Disruptive students will be asked to leave and will lose participation points. Continued disruptive behavior will result in disciplinary action. Students violating conduct or academic integrity policies will lose any extra credit points offered/earned. *Respect. Be respectful of the environment and of your classmates and instructor.

Code of conduct

*Alcohol and drug use violate West Valley College policies and will not be allowed on field trips.

*Weapons including firearms are not allowed on field trip

*Safety is critical for the success of this course. Students will be responsible for following the safety guidelines provided by the instructor.

*Failure to follow safety and conduct rules will result in dismissal from the class with a loss of the points associated with the activity.

*Respect. Be respectful of the environment and of your classmates.

*Cell phone use is not allowed during course lectures or activities.

*Loud stereos and music are not permitted

*Respect- Be respectful of the environment and of your classmates

Land Acknowledgment:

We pause to acknowledge that West Valley College sits on the land of the Ohlone and the Muwekma people. For thousands of years, these natives occupied this land and used this beautiful location as their home. Let us give an enormous debt of gratitude to the Ohlone and Muwekma tribes. By offering this Land Acknowledgment, we remember that the Ohlone and Muwekma people are still connected to this region.

WVC Non-discrimination Statement: The district, and each individual who represents the District, shall provide access to its services, courses, and programs without regard to national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, race, ethnicity, color, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, or military and veteran status, or because he/she/they is perceived to have one or more of the foregoing characteristics, or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

Health/ Stress Management: All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for help is a smart and courageous, albeit sometimes difficult, thing to do- for yourself and for those who care about you. If you or anyone you know is experiencing any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, I strongly encourage you to seek support. You may reach out to your instructor for guidance to campus resources or contact West Valley College Health Services for free confidential personal counseling. Call 408-741-2027, drop by the Health Services office M-Th 9:00 am- 4:30 pm. http://www.westvalley.edu/services/counseling Additionally, the Office of Student Needs offers student support in the form of the Computer Loan, Emergency Loans, Free Lunch & the Food Bank Programs. https://www.westvalley.edu/services/student-needs/

Special Accommodations: If you have a learning or physical need that will require special accommodations in this class you will need to notify me in writing of your accommodation needs. Please notify me following the first class if you require any special accommodations for learning or physical impairments. This will allow me to best meet your needs and allow us ample opportunity to provide suitable accommodations. West Valley College makes reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students with DESP accommodations must adhere to guidelines set by their specified accommodation, which includes discussing and scheduling any accommodation with the instructor in advance (minimum of 48hrs). Depending on accommodation exams may be proctored live on Zoom with DESP personnel and should be scheduled at the same time as scheduled for the class. DESP Rescheduling of exams and assignments remains in the purview of the instructor. College materials will be available in alternate formats (Braille, audio, electronic format, or large print) upon request. Please contact the Disability and Educational Support Program at (408) 741-2010 (voice) or (408) 741-2658 (TTY) for assistance.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory for student success. State & district policy mandates that students missing more than 10% of class hours without a district approved documented absence will be dropped- this is roughly equivalent to 4 class periods. Missing this much class is very detrimental to success in the course, so it is not advised to miss this much class time if you would like to be successful. It is the student’s responsibility to attend ALL classes. Classes will start on time and will run the entire time. schedule doctor appointments, dental appointments, baby sitters etc. accordingly. If you are absent for any reason, please notify me as soon as possible. If a student misses a lecture, it is his/her/their responsibility to obtain any handouts and information provided. Again, if a student is absent from more than four class sessions he/she/they will be DROPPED from the course. A portion of your grade will be determined by your in-class participation, so it is important that you attend all class sessions to earn all possible points. Students repeatedly missing class forfeit any and all extra credit points.

Students report feeling like they have less time with online courses due to having to self-pace and work without in-class accountability. Please be forewarned- on average, students need to spend 3 hours of “in” class time weekly Zoom, as well as, time to participate in class discussions, assignments, reviewing Powerpoints, study guides, and the text, in addition to studying. Students repeatedly missing class forfeit any and all extra credit points.

Withdrawing from the Course: Anyone not present in the beginning of the semester will be dropped. After the first class it is the responsibility of the student who registered to withdraw, even if he/she/they has stopped attending class. Do not assume that if you stop coming to class that you will automatically be dropped. Students who fail to attend but do not inform the instructor and officially drop the course will receive a failing grade.

Websites: This course will have active website pages which can be used to review lecture schedule and general class policies throughout the semester. This section has an instructor webpage designed to provide students information relevant to the course. Instructor’s syllabus with polices and lecture PowerPoint presentations will be made available to students weekly. These materials are highly beneficial to focusing your study time and if used properly will aid in your success in this course. Please keep in mind these resources are a privilege and not a right and may be discontinued at the instructor’s discretion. Students are also responsible for logging into the Canvas webpage daily to complete any homework assignments and check for course announcements or email updates. http://instruct.westvalley.edu/leticia-gallardo/

Canvas: Students are also responsible for logging into the course learning management system- Canvas webpage to submit homework/ assignments, take exams, check announcements and email updates relevant to the course. It is advised that students check this webpage daily. You will need to login to Canvas using your username and password. Instructions for logging on are provided on the following webpage. https://wvm.instructure.com/login/canvas

Study Time: For each hour spent in class, students should expect to spend at least 2 to 3 hours outside of class studying in order to achieve an average grade (C). (Note this estimate is for the average student to earn an average grade for this class is 6 – 9 hours per week!) You should find yourself studying, reviewing and preparing for class and lab each day of the week!

Note: Be careful not to confuse quantity studying with quality study. Simply spending time with

your books and materials will not earn you a better grade. Only hours of directed, motivated

studying will work toward earning you a better grade! As you instructor, I am here to facilitate

your learning by presenting the material and assisting in your understanding. I will do as much

as I can to help you, but ultimately it is you who will earn your final grade!

Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is MANDATORY. The college policy on cheating is clearly spelled out in the college catalogue and will be strictly enforced. Use of any method other than your knowledge and memory (such as notes, looking on other student papers, communication between students, using internet browsing, etc.) to answer questions on an assignment/exam/quiz constitutes cheating and will result in failure of the assignment/exam/quiz. Dishonest behavior also includes: all forms of cheating, tampering, fabrication, plagiarism, and assisting on any assignment/exam/quiz. This means that ALL YOUR WORK MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. Copying from Google, other students, textbooks, sites like Chegg or other internet or published sources are all considered dishonest behavior. Any student caught exhibiting dishonest behavior will be appropriately reprimanded. Therefore, be proactive; keep your work to yourself and be sure that all work is your own, and in your own words. This includes any assigned group activities, while you may be working as a team, you must all participate and summaries or reports must be completed individually, in your own words. Any students caught or implicated in dishonest behavior will be appropriately reprimanded. Students will receive an AUTOMATIC ZERO on that assignment/exam/quiz and all dishonest behavior will be reported to the Vice President of Student Services and will undergo review by the Disciplinary Action Committee. Resulting disciplinary action may include one or more of the following: academic probation, suspension, expulsion from the district colleges, and academic dishonesty transcript notation. Testing procedures & policies are detailed below. Students violating conduct or academic integrity policies will lose any extra credit points offered/earned. Students caught cheating will also forfeit any and all extra credit points.

Due to several incidents of cheating very strict testing procedures will be enforced!

Students will NOT be allowed to leave the testing “room” for any reason once the exam has been administered. This includes: using the restroom, answering cell phones, etc.
If you must leave the room you must turn in your exam and forfeit your remaining time. I will only grade the portion of the exam that you have completed.
Be on time! Once the first person leaves the exam room, no one arriving late will be allowed to start the exam.
All notes, books, and personal belongings will be either left outside the room. Internet browser/windows other than the exam page must be closed
Cell phones/pagers must be turned off during the exam and placed in backpacks or purses. Ringing cell phones and/or pagers during exams may result in failure of the exam. If, for any reason, you answer a cell phone or pager during an exam you must turn in your exam and forfeit your remaining time.
Absolutely no papers (other than those provided by the instructor) are allowed on or around the student’s workspace.
Cheating will result in a zero on the exam and probable expulsion from the class. All extra credit points will be forfeited.

If circumstance precludes you from adhering to these policies you must speak to your instructor PRIOR to the exams.

Course Format:

Lecture Format: Lectures will be used to present, clarify, and expand on information which is presented in your texts and articles. Although we will follow a typical lecture format, class participation and involvement is encouraged. If, during lecture, you have a question raise your hand or send a chat and I will try to answer when appropriate. You are required to know all of the information presented in the class lectures whether the material is in the text or not. Lectures will be presented synchronously on ZOOM. Your attendance and participation is mandatory and you should plan your schedule accordingly.

Laboratory Format: Lab is an extremely important component of this course. Your hands-on exposure to materials is an invaluable experience that many of you would not get anywhere else! Working with a group or as an individual you will explore California plant and animal communities through the use of presentations, activities and “field trips.” Your experience & success will depend on your involvement and participation. Attendance and completion of laboratory exercises in class are required in order to earn lab points. Lab will be presented in a synchronous modality in combination with take home activities or observational work that will be completed independently. Most lab materials will be provided, however some fresh items may need to be purchased for select lab activities. Lab assignments will be completed, scanned and submitted on Canvas.

UC California Naturalist Certificate: The mission of the California Naturalist Program is to foster a diverse community of naturalists and promote stewardship of California’s natural resources through education and service. Students have the opportunity to use their class hours and assignments towards fulfilling the certification requirements. Class hours, reading assignments, homework, field notebook and presentation (Capstone project) qualify toward certification. Students interested in certification must also pay the California Naturalist fee of $110 ($55 for full time students). See supplemental handout for requirements. California Naturalist website: includes volunteer portal and is a great resource for your journey as a California Naturalist. http://calnat.ucanr.edu

Evaluation

Participation (5%): Participation will be evaluated through attendance records and participation & performance during Zoom meetings. Participation will be evaluated through attendance records and participation & performance during lab activities. Some ways in which to earn participation points are: 1) completing class activities; 2) attending class; 3) participation in discussions; 4) being preparation for in-class activities; 5) constructive behavior in class.

Assignments/Project/Presentation (30%): Assignments will be given throughout the course to reinforce concepts covered in lecture and lab. The goal of these assignments is to enhance the student learning experience and promote outreach, advocacy, responsible citizenship and gain interpretive skills. A field notebook will also be required for the field components of the course. Points will be allocated based on format, content, and completion of assignments. Students are responsible for checking the Canvas webpage for assignment updates. Students should expect a minimum of 10 homework assignments for the semester. You will be responsible for completing assignments, quizzes, and labs independently according to the instructions provided during Zoom meetings. You may be completing assignments on Canvas or write your responses on a handouts and submit on Canvas. Once completed you will be responsible for scanning any written assignments as a single document and submitting it through Canvas. You will be responsible for obtaining a scanning app such as “notes” or “genius scan.” Lab materials will be provided for you to complete activities. Late work will be accepted for partial credit up to 5 days late (including weekends). No late work will be accepted after the last day of active class, Dec. 10.

COMPUTER PROBLEMS ARE NOT A REASONALBLE EXCUSE for not submitting assignments on time. You should use a reliable computer and Wifi when completing your assignments. Contact the office of student needs for assistance with obtaining reliable computer or internet access. https://www.westvalley.edu/library/textbooks-and-technology.html

Exams (65%): One midterm exam and a final exam will be administered. Exams will be timed and administered on Canvas. Students are responsible for all material presented in lecture, lab and assignments. The exams will consist of a combination of multiple choice, matching, short answer, labeling and identification questions. The final exam will include a comprehensive portion. Attendance of scheduled exams is mandatory. There are NO make-up exams. Failure to attend an exam will result in a zero grade for the exam. Exams scores will not be dropped or substituted. Exams will begin promptly at the beginning of lecture. Please arrive on time and note that you will not receive extra time to compensate a late arrival. All students must take the final exam during the assigned time period. Note: Please write legibly, coherently, and in your own words- my standard policy is if I can’t read it, it’s wrong! If it doesn’t make sense, it’s wrong! Periodically I will post your grades.

Grade Calculations:

A single 3- unit grade will be given for the entire course (lecture and lab). All points will be converted into a percentage score (pts earned ÷ pts possible) to calculate your final grade.

Your final course grade will be based on the following scale

A 90-100% B 80-89% C 65-79% D 55-65% F Below 55%

*If complications in projects cause assignments to be discontinued or if additional assignments are given, the percent scale of the adjusted points will be used to calculate grades.

Miscellaneous Notes: Due to the disruptive nature of cell phones and pagers all cell phones and pagers must be completely turned off while in lecture and lab. If for some reason you must leave your cell phone or pager on please switch it to silent mode and leave the room before answering it. Ringing cell phones and/or pagers during exams may result in failure of the exam. If you must leave your phone on during an exam please switch it to silent mode. If, for any reason, you answer a cell phone or pager during an exam you must turn in your exam and forfeit your remaining time. Disruptions of this nature will also result in the loss of participation points.

Places to seek Additional Help:

Office Hours: M 2:00-3:30pm (SM55H); T 1:00-2:00pm (Zoom); by appt

Form study groups: your fellow classmates are a valuable resource

Support Services: Please take advantage of the support services on campus- They are here to help you! Services contact information is listed below

Tutoring: Tutorial Services: All students are eligible for free on campus tutoring. If you wish to get help you MUST make the commitment to attend any scheduled tutorial sessions. If any student misses 2 non-cancelled tutorial sessions they will be dropped from the program. https://www.westvalley.edu/services/success-center/

Important Phone Numbers:

Life threatening emergency- Campus phone…………………..9-911 Counseling Center…………………741-2009

Student Health Services on campus……… ……………………….741-2027 Bookstore………………………………741-2015

Safety Escort Service (Campus Police) ……………………….…741-2092 Technology Center……………….741-2666

Science and Math Division office ……………………………………741-2018 Success Center………..……….….741-2038

Extended Opportunity Programs & Service (EOPS)…….741-2023

Disability & Educational Support Program (DESP)……….741-2010

Important Dates Holidays:
Last day to Add……………………………….Sep 10 Labor Day…………..….……Sept 4
Last day to drop without a “W” ……. Sep 10 Veterans Day………….……Nov 10-11
Last day to drop with a “W”………….. Nov 17 Thanksgiving……………….Nov 23-26

Tentative Lecture and Lab Schedule

	Date	Lecture Topic	Ref Chapter
1	8/31	Introduction, Value of nature	CNH Ch1 pgs 1-16,
1	9/02	Scientific Literacy & Interpretation	CNH Ch 8
2	9/07	California Biodiversity- Climate	CNH Ch1 pgs 40-42
2	9/09	Plant Identification	CNH Ch4 Botony HO
3	9/14	California Biodiversity- Geology & Geomorphic Provinces	NHC Ch2 pgs 27-39; 42-50 Biogeo HO
3	9/16	Grinnell field notebook	NHC Ch1 pgs 14-26 Field ntbk HO
4	9/21	Bird Identification	CNH Ch6 pgs 145-153; 160-161; 166-169
4	9/23	Bird Identification eBird, Binos	Buteo HO
5	9/28	Coast ranges Overview.	film
5	9/30	Wetlands & Watersheds	CNH Ch3 pgs 53-71; 75-76; 81-89
6	10/05	Exam 1
6	10/07	Soundscape
7	10/12	Jasper ridge- Hike	CNH Ch5
7	10/14	Jasper ridge- Hike
8	10/19	California Watershed- Fish	CNH Ch3 pgs77-81 CNH Ch6 pgs 162-164
8	10/21	Tentative- SF Bay Estuary salt marsh & shorebirds	CNH Ch3 pgs 71-73
9	10/26	Coastal terraces Sandy Beach
9	10/28	Rocky intertidal intro	Flip guides CNH Ch3 pgs 73-75
10	11/02	Rocky intertidal
10	11/04	Coastal prairie & Wildflowers	plants
11	11/09	Coastal prairie- Jenner headlands, n coastal scrub	CNH Ch6 pgs 164-166; 169-177
11	11/11	Closed Cone Pine forest
12	11/16	Mixed evergreen & Coast Redwood
12	11/18	Coast Redwood Hike
13	11/23	Coast Redwood Hike
13	11/25	Holiday
14	11/30	Oak Woodland	Oak HO
14	12/02	Oak Woodland
15	12/07	Capstone Project
15	12/09	Capstone Project
16	12/14	Final Exam Tues 2:00-4:00

Page created by Leticia Gallardo

Biology 13: Natural History of California